This study involves an investigation into the molecular mechanisms of energy transduction in biological membranes. The mechanism of the coupling of oxidative energy to active transport and phosphorylation is being pursued through a study of mutants of Escherichia coli and through a dissassembly and reassembly of the components of the various systems. The energetics of individual transport systems, the study of mutants of E. coli with defective Mg 2ion-ATPases, and the structure and function of the components of the ATP synthetase complex are under investigation. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Tsuchiya, T. and Rosen, B.P., ATP Synthesis by an Artificial Proton Gradient in Right-Side-Out Vesicles of Escherichia coli. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 68, 497 (1976). Tsuchiya, T. and Rosen, B.P. Calcium Transport Driven by a Proton Gradient in Inverted Membrane Vesicles of Escherichia coli. J. Biol. Chem., 251, 962 (1976).